The invention relates generally to firearms, and, more particularly, to safety locks for automatic weapons such as handguns.
Automatic pistols having a removable magazine, a hammer, a rod movable with the hammer, and an insert mounted in the pistol stock and defining a recess receiving the free end of the movable rod have been known since the beginning of the century (see, for example, the Colt Model 1911). These prior art inserts do not interfere with the reciprocating movements (i.e., the cocking and uncocking movements) of the rod and hammer. An insert of the noted type is also already known in principle from the Browning Model 1903. In the Browning weapon, the insert permits the components that form a blind shaft which accepts the striker pin on the back side of the pistol stock to be machined and assembled separately. This approach was necessary in the Browning weapon since, unlike the shaft which accepts the magazine, the blind shaft could not be produced by broaching. This manufacturing problem (i.e., the inability to use broaching to form the blind shaft) no longer exists in many modern automatic pistols, since the pistol stock of a modern pistol is usually mass produced from plastic in one piece in an injection molding process. However, despite this advance, the insert has generally been retained in modern pistols since it forms the stop for the striker spring.
When using such an insert, it is possible to assemble the advance mechanism of the weapon without it being loaded by the striker spring during assembly. Instead, the insert is incorporated into the pistol after the advance mechanism is assembled. Since the striker spring is supported on the insert, locating the insert within the weapon, places the spring under tension.
In the interest of reliability, a simple design is always preferred in military weapons. However, civilian customers often desire more far-reaching safety features than military customers. It is, therefore, generally necessary to design and manufacture a civilian version of a weapon independently of mass production of military weapons. This necessity naturally increases the expense of manufacturing civilian weapons. Moreover, additional safety mechanisms for military weapons are also often subsequently required by customers. An effort is, therefore, made to find safety devices that permit simple equipping, and especially retrofitting, of a weapon that did not previously have such a safety device. One such safety device is a lock to prevent unauthorized use of the weapon.
Small arms which are used, for example, for game protection, self defense or the like, should be unloaded when they are not carried and reliably protected from unauthorized access. However, some individuals sometimes exhibit an undesirable casualness by storing the loaded weapon in a weapons cabinet that, in some circumstances, is deficiently secured. While it is common to store an automatic pistol by removing the magazine and placing it next to the weapon, some individuals instead put the loaded weapon safely away, (e.g., in a drawer or on a shelf). When such undesirable approaches to weapons storage are employed, it is possible that the loaded weapon can fall into the hands of unauthorized persons. Such unauthorized persons include children, who can threaten themselves and others with the weapon, and burglars, who can use the weapon during their burglary or even later. Other persons, (for example, household employees), who gain knowledge of the location of the weapon during safekeeping, can also steal it, perhaps to commit a crime.
A revolver is known (Bock-Weigel, Handbook of Small Arms, 1989, page 130) that attempts to remedy the above problem. In this revolver a keyed lock is inserted into the bottom stem of the pistol stock. When the hammer is uncocked, the lock can block a rod connected to the hammer (the guide rod for the striker spring), so that the hammer can no longer be cocked. The pistol then cannot be fired. Although this known revolver is certainly not secure against removal, it is secure against unauthorized use. The (quite small) key for this lock can be worn by the owner of the weapon, perhaps on a chain around the neck, where it is inaccessible to unauthorized persons.
However, the lock of this known weapon can be opened or circumvented quite easily. Because of its limited design dimensions and the required robustness (the recoil during firing must not adversely affect the function of the lock), the key is not designed to open tumblers. Instead, the key is not much more than an ordinary screwdriver for turning the lock. As a result, even without access to the key, the lock can be turned and, thus, opened, with an appropriate tool. Moreover, the handle escutcheons can be removed such that the lock can be accessed from the side and can be lifted out or otherwise made unusable. Finally, the lock can be frustrated by simply filing off the spring guide rod blocked by the lock when the handle escutcheons are removed. When the latter approach is employed, disorders can occur during cocking of the revolver, but when the weapon is first cocked, it can be fired without difficulty.
The lock described above is also disadvantageous in other respects. For example, since the lock is located on the bottom of the pistol stock, it is clearly visible and can be immediately recognized, even on cursory examination. It can then be disabled in one of the above mentioned ways in order to make the weapon ready for use.
Although the above noted revolver and lock is a reasonable approach to solving the aforementioned problem of. unauthorized access to a weapon, this design was not accepted by other manufacturers, but instead is merely a historical curiosity in the history of small arms. Presumably, the main reason why it did not gain acceptance was the ease with which the lock could be opened.
Another shortcoming of the aforementioned lock lies in the fact that the components to be rotated by means of the key have an axis of rotation that runs roughly across the direction of shooting. Therefore, the inertial forces occurring during firing run roughly tangentially to these components. Accordingly, the inertial forces attempt to rotate the rotatable components if they are unbalanced. If such a lock becomes slightly worn through, for example, long use or frequent manipulation, there is a risk that the lock will automatically lock after a shot is released. If this occurs, further use of the weapon will unexpectedly be prevented until the lock has been unlocked again.
The pistol stock in an automatic pistol is designed to accept a magazine. This magazine is typically quite wide, especially if it accepts large-caliber cartridges in a zigzag arrangement. It would, therefore, be obvious to use the space available in the pistol stock to accommodate a more effective lock, perhaps a safety lock with a closing cylinder. At least for children and untrained persons, such a lock would represent an obstacle that can scarcely be overcome. Moreover, the mounting of such a lock in the vicinity of the hammer makes filing off of the spring guide rod impossible. Reliable attachment of the lock in the frame also poses at least no fundamental difficulties. However, if this approach is taken, the pistol stock must then be redesigned. Both the safety lock and the necessary modifications to the weapon would be quite cost-intensive.
Moreover, although placing an enhanced lock in the stock of the pistol would frustrate unsophisticated users, the danger of use by a sophisticated unauthorized user would still not be eliminated as long as a person who manages to get his hands on the weapon that is secured by the lock can recognize at a glance that the weapon is secured and how it is secured. That person will then frustrate the lock, by, for example, routinely. drilling out the closing cylinder and releasing the lock.
The known proposal to arrange measurement sensors and electronics on a pistol that only permit use of the weapon when a certain hand line pattern is recognized is not feasible. Such an approach would even preclude the authorized user from using the weapon if the authorized user were wearing a glove, had a wound bandage on his/her hand, or if his/her hand were badly soiled.
Another known safety device is the so-called magazine safety which locks the weapon when the magazine is removed. Individuals often determine whether a weapon contains cartridges by briefly removing the magazine. If a visual inspection reveals the presence of one or more cartridges, the weapon is then put away or carried for actual use without further examination. A thorough functional test is generally not performed. Civilians sometimes remove the magazine when a pistol is put away, but then forget that a cartridge is present in the barrel thereby mistaking a loaded weapon for an unloaded weapon. Since a magazine safety precludes the weapon from firing when the magazine is removed even when a cartridge is left in the chamber, a magazine safety can prevent an accident from happening during handling of a pistol which is mistakenly believed to be unloaded.
Known magazine safety locks are usually connected to the trigger and advance mechanism. Such locks have a feeler that extends into the magazine shaft. This feeler activates the interrupter when the feeler is not pressed back by the introduced magazine. These magazine safety locks are, however, disadvantageous in that they increase the complexity of the weapons and, in so doing, necessarily reduce their reliability.
In accordance with an aspect of the invention, an automatic weapon having a stock is provided. The weapon includes a hammer, a magazine shaft for receiving a removable magazine, and a rod operatively coupled to, and movable with, the hammer. The rod extends into the stock such that an end of the rod is located within the stock. The weapon is further provided with an insert located within the stock, and a movable projection mounted within the insert. The projection has a first position wherein the projection performs at least one of preventing and substantially limiting movement of the hammer and a second position wherein the hammer is movable without interference from the projection.
In accordance with another aspect of the invention, a kit is provided. The kit includes an automatic pistol having a stock and a first insert for insertion into the stock of the pistol. The first insert includes a lock having a first condition wherein the lock prevents the pistol from being fired when the first insert is disposed in the pistol. The lock also has a second condition wherein the lock permits firing of the pistol when the first insert is disposed in the pistol. The kit is further provided with a second insert for insertion into the stock of the pistol. The second insert precludes firing of the pistol when the second insert is disposed in the pistol.
In accordance with yet another aspect of the invention, a lock is provided for use with an automatic weapon having a stock, a hammer, a magazine shaft for receiving a removable magazine, and a rod operatively coupled to, and movable with, the hammer and having an end located within the stock. The lock comprises an insert located within the stock, and a movable projection mounted within the insert. The projection has a first position wherein the projection performs at least one of preventing and substantially limiting movement of the hammer and a second position wherein the hammer is movable without interference from the projection.
In accordance with still another aspect of the invention, an automatic weapon having a stock is provided. The automatic weapon includes a hammer, a magazine shaft for receiving a removable magazine, and a rod operatively coupled to, and movable with, the hammer. The rod extends into the stock such that an end of the rod is located within the stock. The weapon also includes an insert located within the stock, and a blind hole defined in the insert and sized to receive the end of the rod to prevent downward movement of the rod to thereby prevent discharge of the pistol.
Other features and advantages are inherent in the disclosed apparatus or will become apparent to those skilled in the art from the following detailed description and its accompanying drawings.